Pine Island Visitors

by Polly Horvath

By Newbery Honor author Polly Horvath, comes a sequel to her popular middle-grade novel Pine Island Home about orphaned sisters who find a way to make a new family.

Fiona, Marlin, Natasha and Charlie McCready have been adopted by their unlikely guardian, Al, and finally settled into their new home on Pine Island in British Columbia. Fiona is struggling under the weight of trying to keep everything together, not to mention worrying about expenses, while Marlin tries to adjust to her new high school and faces rejections for her cookbook, Thirty Meals a Twelve-Year-Old Could Make and Did!. Natasha is still keeping to herself, but a new interest in the violin reveals hidden talents, while Charlie is dreaming of what kind of dog she would like. It's been an adjustment, but they are loving being with each other and having Al next door.

    Then they receive a letter from Mrs. Weatherspoon, who took care of them after their parents died, and she is coming to visit for three months — an inordinate amount of time for a houseguest. Accommodating a fifth person in the tiny house is hard enough, but to their horror, Mrs. Weatherspoon arrives with a her childhood friend, Jo. Jo has opinions about everything — what they should eat, how they should behave — and she doesn't hesitate to express them. And sweet Mrs. Weatherspoon seems to have fallen under her spell. When she and Jo announce that they are going to extend their stay even longer, Fiona and Marlin are beside themselves. Fiona hates rocking the boat, but she is going to have to find the courage to stand up to these grown-up bullies so she and her sisters can have the life they wish to lead.

Genres: Middle Grade, Canada, Fiction, Cooking, Realistic Fiction, Family, Juvenile

285 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2023

About the author

Polly Horvath is the author of many books for young people, including Everything on a Waffle, The Pepins and Their Problems, The Canning Season and The Trolls. Her numerous awards include the Newbery Honor, the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, the Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature, the Mr. Christie Award, the international White Raven, and the Young Adult Canadian Book of the Year. Horvath grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She attended the Canadian College of Dance in Toronto and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York City. She has taught ballet, waitressed, done temporary typing, and tended babies, but while doing these things she has always also written. Now that her children are in school, she spends the whole day writing, unless she sneaks out to buy groceries, lured away from her desk by the thought of fresh Cheez Whiz. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and two daughters.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/pollyh...

Reviews

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I love a book with a happy ending.*
-sigh-A bit contrived, yes, but still very satisfying :)

[Amy Linton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a pleasure to return to Pine Island. When last we left the McCready girls, they had managed to finagle a curmudgeonly neighbor into acting as their guardian and had settled into the house of their great-aunt Martha.

This novel takes up the travails of the four orphaned girls the following autumn, as Fiona starts high school. Their challenges are not unexpected: Fiona feels awkward around the boy she stood up last spring and resists the new English teacher, Marlin is struggling with having her cookbook (30 Recipes a 12-year-old Could Cook and Did) being rejected by publisher after publisher while also being bullied by her classmates. Shy Natasha is taking up the violin, and little Charlie just wants a puppy. They need a new couch after a "lender dog" pees on it. It's a poignant and funny life they lead.

Then comes a letter: sweet Mrs. Weatherspoon, the missionary who took care of them in Borneo after their parents died, wishes to come visit. The girls don't really want a houseguest, but how can they say no?

When Mrs. Weatherspoon arrives in company of a truly awful friend, Jo, that's when Horvath's particular genius comes into play. It's not enough that sweet Mrs. Weatherspoon will be staying for months--her friend Jo is one of those manipulative and drama-seeking people who has the power to make everyone miserable. Jo is not exactly evil, but her position as an adult gives her the dreary ability to meddle and make each of the four girls' lives worse.

The girls, especially the older two, Fiona and Marlin, have to figure out how to survive this latest challenge to their happiness. The delicacy and subtlety of how Fiona and Marlin each learns how to cope with this kind of toxic person (which, Horvath gently suggests, is an eternal constant of human interaction) is masterful. This is the kind of thoughtful, heart-wrenching novel I would have read over and over as a young reader, for the pleasure of seeing the McCready girls succeed. Polly Horvath is a treasure!

It's a must-have for anyone who liked Pine Island Home, but stands alone as a compelling and entertaining novel for young readers.

Thanks to NetGalley, Margaret Ferguson Books, and Holiday House for the eARC in exchange for my unfettered opinion.

[Piper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to LibraryThing and Tundra Books for this book in exchange for my honest review. This is the second book in the series and continues to follow the four sisters as they get used to life on the island. I really enjoyed the first book but I didn't enjoy this one as much. This book has very heavy themes of bullying and not by just one person, there were multiple examples of people being bullied. At one point one of the sisters just seems to give up and really has no interest in anything anymore. It was incredibly sad. One of the most frustrating things was that one of the bullies was an adult and the girls felt very helpless to do anything about it. I was so frustrated by this particular character Jo and how awful she was to the girls that I stayed up late reading just so I could finish the book in the hopes that it would have a happy ending. I wouldn't say that I enjoyed reading it though, I just wanted to finish it.
I did think the author portrayed the bullying in a very real way though. Especially when talking about the person who's being bullied and when the sisters are talking about how angry they get and how they don't like who they're becoming I thought the author really got it. I think we can all relate to those feelings at one time or another. At one point one of the characters told the girls "...it was easier to be uber-polite with people you didn't particularly want to have anything to do with than it was to be rude. Rudeness binds you. Politeness creates distance." I never really thought about this but it's very true. If you're rude to someone you're actually engaging with them and developing a relationship, even if it's a negative one. This is maybe not the best way to go through life! Being uber-polite because you don't want to deal with people! But this did make me stop and think.
There were seven instances of blasphemy and the heavy theme of bullying. The bullying is verbal and emotional it's not physical.
Overall just not as enjoyable as the first one. The one character was just a bit too frustrating for me. This book was reviewed on the Literary Club Podcast episode 61
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1984185

[DaNae · Rating 4 out of 5]

As satisfying as the first or indeed as any book has a right to be. The four McCready sisters are back with a new struggle. Just as they are adapting to having an official guardian in Al two unwanted ‘guardians’ show as uninvited guests and dig in to stay lon past their non-existent welcome. While Fiona had the larger character arc in the first book Marlin’s struggles take a larger part in this one. I do hope each girl will get their own book, because I’m anxious to return to Mary’s by the Sea.

52 Book Club24: #43 - About finding identity

[Emily J · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads Giveaways program in exchange for an honest review*

You know when you read something so perfectly relevant it feels like the universe must have planted it in your path? That was this book for me.

More than a fun, relatable and easy-to-read middle-grade novel, Pine Island Visitors is a story about four resilient sisters and their adoptive guardian (read: grumpy old man) who open their home to fellow missionaries/church-goers and have a wild ride as hosts. This book does have some holiday elements so I'm thrilled to have read it in mid-December, however the themes, messages, and values are timeless.

This book is a sequel but it reads as a stand-alone (I hadn't read the first book but feel I still got to know all the characters quite well). No real "complaints" so the 4-star rating is simply this reader's opinion. But love the Can-Con (Canadian content) and character growth.

Like so many other middle-grade reads I really believe this book is for anyone in the double-digits - we forget how wise we are by 10 years old!!!

[Darlene Karalash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Polly Horvath bewitched me with her earlier works, The Trolls and Everything on a Waffle which I have enthusiastically shared with my Middle Years students, my teaching colleagues and my own children, for years! In our family, we've been keeping the magic alive, by quoting these lines among others...
Let's avoid spreading the buboes around.
You can be setting fire to cats and burying them in your backyard, but as long as you're playing team sports, people think you're okay.
And, we've spent a lot of time reflecting on the powerful messages of these two books (ex. the unfortunate etymology of damaged relationships between adult siblings) since their first publication, a couple of decades ago.

Not surprisingly, I was instantly captivated by the inner musings of the feisty and slightly eccentric McCready sisters in Pine Island Visitors--what is it about island inhabitants of the Northwest Pacific Ocean that Polly Horvath makes so appealing?

If you've also read this book yet beg to differ with my five star rating, all I can say is that there's no accounting for some people's tastes and I feel sorry for you. Surely, Marlin McCready would count you among "the great unwashed" and not worthy of her time.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

An endearing tale with wonderfully drawn characters. Parts of this were very predictable and the plot isn’t revolutionary but it’s very easy to root for these sisters. I suspect I would have benefited from reading the first book for maximum emotional engagement but this book works fine as a standalone since Horvath gives enough backstory to clue new readers in.

Thanks to Penguin Random House who kindly sent me a copy of the book for review.

[books.bintulu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review soon!

[lizzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read a Pine Island book, and I realize I now need to read more! Polly Horvath makes such relatable characters going through such a hard time in life, and it helps a reader connect with the story. Being an eldest sibling, I connected quickly with Fiona and could empathize with the struggles she went through. I would also argue about paying bills, keeping things in order, and protecting my siblings.

I can't wait to read the other books and hope there is more to the series! Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC.

[Luciana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story set in the Juan De Fuca Islands, Pine Island, about 4 kids whose parents died in a tsunami. They are sent to their great aunt who also dies & then Al adopts them. He lives in a trailer on their property.

The girls all have household tasks to ensure that the household runs proficiently until 2 visitors arrive...Mrs. Weatherspoon & Jo. Life becomes very disruptive shattering the confidence the girls had built up over the year.

How do they get rid of their unwanted visitors & return to their newly adopted lives?

Well written!

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The problem here is that Polly Horvath is too good at creating characters. In this book, she gives us Jo--a miserable excuse of a human being who seems to feed off making people miserable while expounding her lofty beliefs like they are precious gems. I read this book as fast as possible just to get away from the woman and her snide remarks and holier than thou personality. I like the sisters and Al, but Jo made the whole book a bit of a teeth clenching read.

[Jamie Steinberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was excited to revisit the McCready sisters and find out what they had been up to since our first meeting with them in Pine Island Home. In Pine Island Visitors our girls are now officially adopted by Al and have spent the summer enjoying themselves. They might even get a couple puppies! Unfortunately, their better days go sideways when two visitors come to stay – upending the better days that the girls had ahead of them. Can the girls get rid of their pesky interlopers and return to happier days? You’ll want to dig into Pine Island Visitors to find out.

School is starting again in Pine Island, British Columbia and Fiona is a bundle of nerves after standing up Davey at the dance. Marlin is excited because she’s finished her cookbook and is just waiting for Al’s book editor to tell her someone has picked it up for release. Natasha is eager to finally get the violin she has been wanting to play and Charlie is pleased as punch at the idea that they could be getting a couple of pups. However, once school starts back up things are quick to go awry. Mrs. Weatherspoon, their former guardian, wants to come and stay with the girls for three months. Already packed in and with the couch falling apart, Fiona is worried about having a guest on top of them when they currently have so much on their plates. Unable to say no to someone who was so dear to them when they lost their parents, the girls agree to Mrs. Weatherspoon coming to visit. Only, to add insult to injury, she brings her loudmouthed opinionated friend Jo with her.

None of the girls find Jo a joy as she has an opinion on everything and isn’t shy about sharing it. Marlin is already in a sour space as she has found making friends at school to be fairly impossible on top of being stressed that no one has given any positive feedback to her book. Charlie has the girls worked up over figuring out a puppy breed and Natasha finds herself such a savant at the violin that it is astonishing. Things go from bad to worse though when Jo unceremoniously announces they plan to extend their stay. Certainly, Al has much to say on the matter and is eager to get these ladies out of McCready’s hair as much as the girls are themselves. Can Fiona find the courage to speak up? Is Marlin fooling herself that a thirteen-year-old (I know, I know – twelve sounds better) can publish a cookbook?

Author Polly Horvath continues to show off her talents as a young-adult author. Your heart continues to go out to these sweet girls and you want nothing more than to wrap them up in a big hug (okay, I also wish I could eat Marlin’s amazing meals and desserts). There is only one downfall to reading, Pine Island Visitors – parents, be warned about an influx of requests for a puppy.

[Melissa T · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure whether I enjoyed this book more, or less than the first one in this series.

There are a lot of sweet elements that I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved that there was an entire chapter on Halloween, (my favourite holiday). I also was pleased with the evolution of the girls relationship with Al, and both he and they coming to view each other as family, albeit somewhat unconventional.

However, I absolutely detested both Jo and Mrs. Weatherspoon.

First of all, I can't see any reason why Mrs. Weatherspoon thought it was remotely okay to bring some random friend that none of the sisters knew to stay with them for months. Mrs Weatherspoon is brainwashed by Jo and basically follows her around like a puppy, and does everything she says. She is unkind to the girls. Though not quite as mean as Jo is, but she is complicit in Jo's unkindness.

Jo is just awful. She inserts herself into everything, is rude, plays mean tricks on the girls, calls them names, the list goes on. She gets kittens as pets for the girls and expects them to be grateful when they have been saying all along that they want to get puppies.

I'm not sure if I should have a tiny shred of like for Jo's character as a device to show that you should say no and stick to it, and stand up for yourself. Or if I should just dislike her altogether. I'm leaning toward the latter.

There are also a few cringey moments between Fiona and her teacher. And, between Davy and Fiona. I'm not quite sure where Davy got the idea he could act the way he did, (maybe his behaviour is why Maisie broke up with him recently) but I do applaud Fiona for standing up to him and spelling it out for him. He could have been a much better plot device than Jo in learning that lesson.

There is a lot of bullying in this book. Almost too much. I know it serves as a plot point for the happier ending, but I found myself quite angry at the amount of bullying, especially being done by the adults in the story.

I did like that each of the girls had their own unique interests and passions that they were pursuing. Finding mine is something I'm working on currently, so it was pleasant to read their enthusiasm for each of the activies that they chose. Though I was sad to see Natasha so resolutely deny her passion for music after she was found out.

I think I'd read more about these sisters if there were another story in this series.

*Please note that I won a copy of this book via Librarything*

[Farah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

In an excellent sequel to Pine Island Home, Polly Horvath reunites us with with the four McCready siblings. After the unexpected death of their great-aunt, the four already-orphaned girls initially went through a difficult time trying to keep a secret the fact that there was no adult guardian around to look after them.

Now there is a new equilibrium, with the four girls living in their great-aunt's small home, after having been adopted by their curmudgeonly neighbour Al. They are enjoying the time spent with each other, and have settled into their routines.

Even their concerns are, if somewhat concerning, still reassuringly normal - from the eldest girl Fiona's tensions with their guardian Al over who is paying the bills, to just-turned-thirteen year old Marlin's isolation at school and her worries that her first cookbook (she already has plans for more) has not so far succeeded in finding a publisher. Not to mention shy Natasha's new passion for the violin, and youngest child Charlie's determination that the dog they get should be a smooth collie.

But all is thrown into disarray when they expectedly hear from Mrs Witherspoon, who generously looked after them when their parents died in Borneo. She now plans to come and visit them for a long stay - a minimum of 3 months!

And if that were not bad enough, who Mrs Witherspoon brings with her is the real nightmare. Bossy, opinionated Jo is Mrs Witherspoon's toxic friend, who likes to tell everyone what to do and whom the girls universally - and entirely understandably - take a violent dislike to...

This is a really enjoyable story, with a timeless feel about it. The personalities of the four girls are very nicely and effectively differentiated, allowing us to get to know them better quite quickly. Their struggle between wanting to be kind to Mrs Witherspoon and finding Jo maddeningly repulsive is quite relatable. All in all, this is entertaining storytelling and well worth a read.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Erika RS · Rating 1 out of 5]

I disliked the first book, so if you liked the first book you should take my review with a very large grain of salt. (Why did I bother reading it then? Because my children were interested in it.)

In this book, we see a compelling set of characters continue to be subjected to constant misery. Their misery this time it does not even have the redeeming value of being a compelling one like losing their parents. It's a problem of self-invited house guests who are truly terrible guests, especially one of them. It's full of bullying that gets to shockingly abusive levels, constant shaming of people, including to the point where someone gives up something they are passionate about and talented at, and adults who act in a variety of inappropriate ways.

I should have DNF'ed it, but it was like a train wreck that I had to watch until the end. Which is a pity because while the ending itself was sweet and made me connect with the things that attracted me to the first novel in the first place, none of the resolutions to any of the tensions were particularly satisfying. They were just deus ex machina'ed away.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this sequel to Pine Island Home, we revisit the McCready sisters, who are adjusting to their new life next door to their guardian Al. They are contacted by Mrs Weatherspoon who needs a place to stay, and despite Al suggesting they say no, the girls allow it.
However this soon backfires as Mrs Weatherspoon has brought a friend, Jo, along with her. Jo is very opinionated and bothers the girls. They then extend their stay even longer and the girls must try and figure out how they can get rid of these unwanted house guests.

This is a good sequel for those who enjoyed the first book.

AGE: 10+
GENRE: Children’s Fiction, Family, Middle School, Drama
DETAILS: 288 Pages, Children's Fiction

I received this as an eBook through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this delightful funny novel.
I finished it in a day because it was so very good!
I honestly really didn't like Jo. I thought she was bossy and had no right to be. Ugh! I really dislike people like that. Especially when they're uninvited. At least in my opinion.
I had to laugh at the girls' antics and I totally didn't blame them for what they did! Laugh out loud. So glad I choose this book!
The cover is what made me want to jump in and read it.
I have to go back and read the first one now. This story was just too cute.
5 stars for a job well done! I highly recommend this book.
I'm thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Barbra · Rating 4 out of 5]

After their parents’ death, Fiona, Marlin, Natasha, and Charlie move to Pine Island to live with a great aunt. When she suddenly passes, Al, their aunt’s boyfriend adopts them. While adapting to their new life, Marlin writes a cookbook and struggles with school bullies, Fiona has boyfriend troubles, quiet Natasha takes up the violin, and Charlie just wants a dog. Their lives are further upset when their former caregiver comes for a visit bringing her opinionated and controlling friend Jo. Readers will become attached to the children and feel their frustration, as they plot to get rid of their unwelcome visitors.

[Athena Starr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an ARC review and these are my honest thoughts and opinions. This book is made me want to read every book in the Pine Island series! The characters are all so thought out and well rounded, made me feel like I knew them all personally. The laughter and smiles I gave while reading this book were non stop.
I want to say thank you to Netgalley, and Polly for my ARC to read and review. As always ,please check the TW!

Read this if you like:
- funny
- heartwarming

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
What a treat to revisit this family in the sequel to Pine Island Home. The siblings have adjusted to their new living arrangements when unexpected visitors arrive…who bring lots of changes. Thank goodness for their faithful guardian, Al, who provides guidance and support!

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this one up from the library because it looked cute. It is refreshingly different and I think a lot of young people could find things to relate to in one or more of the characters. Really well written book about people and life and growing up. Made me want to read the 1st, but I can't find it anywhere near me!

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

It makes sense that I felt the first chapter was rather rushed, to now find out that this is book two in a series. I honestly think that needs to be indicated on the book somewhere and it’s not. Kind of bizarre.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

[Mandoreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps even better than the previous Pine Island Home.

[Constance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am making a resolution to read more children's books. I've always been a big fan of Polly Horvath, and vacation on Pine Island was just what I needed. So wholesome!

[lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A modern Little Women + Anne of Green Gables. I loved this follow up to Pine Island Home and I love the McCready sisters! I really hope we get more stories about them and Al <3

[Psychobroad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as good as the first one!